The myth of great service at American restaurants

[Smilesonfaces]

Originally Posted by disney332

Great service imho is not only about attentiveness, but also about knowledge of the food and method of cooking, including the ingredients.

At great restaurants I would expect knowledge of where the produce is sourced.

I am sure others think the same.

Disney332

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I agree and it does depend on the standard of restaurants you are eating in. In Orlando we just ate in your run of the mill chain restaurants. I order the food, they bring it, I eat, pay and leave ! I don’t need any conversation or interaction with the server. I just want my food served timely, my drink refilled and bill brought me at the end. I am not really sure in these type of restaurants what “exceptional service” is and what people are expecting.

On our Caribbean cruise however the service genuinely was exceptional and so was the food. The server gave recommendations, gave information about the food and was attentive throughout. Even in the busy buffets I never saw any dirty plates left on a table. The servers really earned their gratuity on the ship.

[Tinkerbell]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

That is beyond rude. That would have caused me to immediately remove the entirety of the tip. Suspect they thought they could try it on with you for being British.

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Back in the mid 90s we went to Damian Rib bar which was somewhere on international drive. Service wasn’t very good etc etc. It was our first trip to Orlando ans fell for the “tips a must”. At the bottom of our bill there was a message

“ for the convenience of our international customers we have added 12%( can’t rememebr exact) service charge. It was 12% on top of the tax. We sat and watched Americans on next table. They finished at the same time. They left a few dollars. I asked if I could see their bill, the same statement was not on their bill! I asked for the manager, asked him to take of the tip paid and handed the server ( not his Fault) a few dollars I was seething. If I was challenged for not leaving an expected tip, then I’d ask for the whole thing back. Unless it’s no tip then I would explain why no tip

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

We never order the entree until we have finished the appetiser.

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Same here.


Having also read that America’s get more attention at the table than Brits because we tip “badly” then so be it. Personally I want my food delivered to my table , I want it hot and in delivered timely fashion, I’d like then server to be polite and that’s it. I do not need fawning over during my meal and IF my server did not return to fill drinks etc I’m not bothered about getting up and asking the manager to do it, that has often focused the severs attention


Generally service in the US is OK. I remember when the DDP included three courses and the tip. The tip aspect was removed probably because a) why give a reasonable service is you’re going to get a tip anyway b) servers income when down as the tip was set at inthink 15%

[Lisbon]

We've only experienced bad service three times in all the years we have been going.
Once at a pizza place on the 192
Once at Ihops - starters coming out with mains ,we refused to pay and left
Then once at Mannys on the 27, waited over an hour for our main and was offered two ice creams for a party of four, spoke to the manager who said we didn't have to pay for the meal and also gave us a $50 voucher for our next visit.
Rob

[Gill H]

Originally Posted by Lisbon

We've only experienced bad service three times in all the years we have been going.
Once at a pizza place on the 192
Once at Ihops - starters coming out with mains ,we refused to pay and left
Then once at Mannys on the 27, waited over an hour for our main and was offered two ice creams for a party of four, spoke to the manager who said we didn't have to pay for the meal and also gave us a $50 voucher for our next visit.
Rob

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As I explained above, starters coming with mains is not bad service. You ordered both at the same time, which is not common in the US. To avoid this don’t order your main until you have your starter.

[Bobbins]

Originally Posted by Gill H

That is normal. In the US people often don’t order appetiser and entree at the same time like we do in the UK. They will order an appetiser to nibble on while they decide what to have for an entree. So Brits go in, order both and the restaurant thinks we want them together - and then can’t understand why we are upset when they bring the entree before we finish the appetiser!

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I've been to the US probably 100 times including Disney 20+ times - and I can't recall not ordering starter and main at the same time. And they've never brought them out together.

Sure, you might get bread to nibble on before ordering, but not a full on starter.

Yes, the mains coming out almost in sync with the starter dishes being cleared happens. Only once, I think, have mains come out when we've still been eating.

In restaurants where they have that odd (to Brits) included salad course it sometimes gets a bit muddled, but few places seem to do that now.

[Vanillapod]

Originally Posted by Bobbins

I've been to the US probably 100 times including Disney 20+ times - and I can't recall not ordering starter and main at the same time. And they've never brought them out together.

Sure, you might get bread to nibble on before ordering, but not a full on starter.

Yes, the mains coming out almost in sync with the starter dishes being cleared happens. Only once, I think, have mains come out when we've still been eating.

In restaurants where they have that odd (to Brits) included salad course it sometimes gets a bit muddled, but few places seem to do that now.

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I’m sure we’ve never had mains brought our before we’ve finished our starters either? 🤔
I’m thinking maybe they ask the question at the time of ordering?
I’ll pay more attention next year

[Lisbon]

Originally Posted by Gill H

As I explained above, starters coming with mains is not bad service. You ordered both at the same time, which is not common in the US. To avoid this don’t order your main until you have your starter.

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Been travelling there for over 25 years and this is the only occasion this has happened
Rob

[Mater]

Over the years had a mix of rude, good and fantastic servers. Only twice have I not tipped at all and I told the manager why both times. Once was a rude server and the other was the tips section of the bill coloured in with green highlighter pen.

I’m in no way adverse to tipping, but I’m not being told to!

[Gill H]

Originally Posted by Lisbon

Been travelling there for over 25 years and this is the only occasion this has happened
Rob

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Fair enough. I haven’t had it happen to me but I rarely order appetisers. It’s just something I have seen mentioned on here many times over the years. Perhaps it’s only certain places that do it.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Gill H

As I explained above, starters coming with mains is not bad service. You ordered both at the same time, which is not common in the US. To avoid this don’t order your main until you have your starter.

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I understand that US service is quicker and that is deemed good service, but I would consider starter and main together to be bad service and I would send the main back if that happened.

I have never ordered starters or mains separately in the US, which I have visited many times. I have dined with plenty of Americans and have never seen them do this either. Never hard starter and main brought together.